The real update

Yes, Boone screams. But he also is quite the ham. He loves wrestling, so don't lay on the floor in our house and expect to catch some z's. Boone will immediately run over and throw himself on you. You actually don't really have to even play back. He will just get up loop around and dive at you again. He is completely entertained by just your presence on the floor. Boone also loves running and will spend an infinite amount of time chasing Calder as he runs around our house. Boone especially loves running at Grandma Fritshaw's as there is a perfect circle he and Calder can lap that goes through the living room, dining room and kitchen.

Boone is SLOWLY starting to get some words. Up until about a week ago I would say his ENTIRE list of words consisted of Mama, Dad, up, uh-oh, please (more like eees), eye, no (not the word, but the two syllable sound you make for "no" with your mouth closed. . . not sure if that counts as a word!) and yah. Boone will try to repeat other words you said, like "thank-you" and "Calder", but typically the only thing he had right sounding about the words was the number of syllable's they have!

Last week I heard him say "bye" and M told me he was saying "go" at daycare as he raced around with another kid (not shocking that he was running or turning it into a race). He may have even said "Auntie" once on the weekend and I think I have heard the occassional "car" while he plays. Last night he was reciting "mine, mine, mine" while holding some money (he loves coins). We are a ways off from the 12 words Boone should be consistantly using at 18 months, and although I am aware we are not quite to this milestone, I am not worried about it.

A few weeks ago, Hugh said something to Calder about Boone not understanding something he was saying, and Calder replied, "Dad, Boone understands EVERYTHING." Hugh laughed, because we really feel like it is true. We can ask him to do almost anything and he knows what we mean. Boone (when not screaming) is a pretty cooperative guy. He typically does what we ask when it comes to things like picking up toys, putting his shoes away, heading for the tub or going to the table. If we suggest things and he wants to do them, we get a resounding, "Yah, yah, yah, yah" from him, like when we ask him if he wants to go outside. Even when we say something Boone doesn't like, we know he understands. Boone runs for the hills when we say "diaper change" and when we say its "night night" time, he feverishly shakes his head and makes his "no" sound!

Boone is turning into a Daddy's boy. Sigh. Earlier in the week he didn't want to hand me his dishes after supper and only wanted to give them to Hugh and on Wednesday when Hugh was making supper, Boone was happier to scream at his leg than let me carrying him or play with him. I would be lying if I said it isn't as hard the second time round, but it is. The only good thing is that I see Calder at 5 and know that even though Hugh is still his favorite, it won't stop him from cuddling with me on the couch and he doesn't refuse to give me hugs or let me pour his milk.

Boone was making this face all the time, so we began calling it his funny face. He now does it on command. Not quite sure how he breathes while doing it, as his top lip is pinched right against his nostrils!

One of Boone's favorite things to do is wear shoes. He likes wearing his own, but LOVES wearing mine. He will put on my Dawgs by our back door quite often, but his favorite is to head into my closet and grab a pair of heels. He can often get one on by himself and will clomp to find you with the matching shoe in hand. Boone is also a hat guy and gets seriously mad when you try and take a hat off of him. I have had the odd battle trying to pull a shirt over his head, as Boone refuses to allow the hat the come off even for a few seconds. Boone has really gotten into sock puppets and loves when it is laundry folding time because he has his pick of puppets. There has even been a few nights that he has refused to take the puppet off for bed and Hugh and I have had to go in and remove it from his arm long after he has fallen asleep!

The more we get to know Boone, the more clearly it becomes that he may be an extrovert. He has no shyness at all when it comes to our family and friends. It might have taken Calder hours or days even to warm up to people at this age, but Boone will head straight over and up into someone's arms the moment he sees them. Boone is also very outgoing on playdates and large group activities, which isn't something we saw with Calder at 18 months. It's so fun having a different "kind" of kid!